How do you measure success?
Graduate Mission Associate Jon B. moved to Asia last August where he has been learning Mandarin, providing spiritual care for Americans teaching English as a second language, and making new friends. He has also been leading Bible studies with many who have never heard the good news before. After months of laying the groundwork through informal study sessions, Jon and the other teachers invited their friends to worship. God’s blessings were evident, but not quite in the way they had expected.
It was Sunday afternoon at four. We had planned our first worship service and invited our friends. It would be a simplified English service. I wrote a simple sermon based on the readings for the day. We had let all our friends know about it. I set up my apartment into a bit more formal of a setting than our normal English Bible studies. Using the dining room table and a cross I had built, we even had an altar. I lined up the chairs, using all I had so that there would be plenty of spots for our friends.
The American teachers arrived — the service was to start at 4:30 p.m. It was already 4:40 and no one else was there yet. I decided we would wait a bit, maybe they would come late. So we waited. Finally, one friend, Elva, came. At five we stopped waiting for others and began. While I was happy about having our friend Elva, I couldn’t help but wonder where was everyone else? Where were all our friends whom we had invited? I found myself thinking, “Why was this service going to be so unsuccessful?”
As we read through the Bible readings for the week, as I presented my sermon, and as we sang hymns and songs, I looked at the teachers and at Elva — our one Chinese friend who came. I watched her eagerly underlining and marking things in her Bible. I saw her understanding the illustrations I was using to explain the text. I saw her singing along to the hymns. I saw her worshiping her God! In a text message Elva shared with a fellow worker this week, she wrote, “I just want to express my awareness from Bible learning, to tell the truth, Bible learning class becomes the important part of my life! I enjoy every minute and second in the classes… this is a holy place to rest my sinful mind and spirit!”
While her English is broken and her word choice not always precise (then again, in Mandarin neither is mine!), she made her point. The things she was learning and experiencing through hearing the Word are changing her. In her words and her actions, she expresses a faith that is growing ever stronger.
As last Sunday’s service concluded and as this week progressed, I took some time to think. Perhaps I need to change my definition of success. For me and for the teachers, this service meant being strengthened in our faith — and it was a success. For Elva, even if only for Elva, this service was a success. She, too, was strengthened. I said a prayer of humble thanksgiving. Praise God, because he has given us success! Instead of asking “Why was this service so unsuccessful?” I found myself praying that I would be able to see the success God was giving us. We become so wrapped up in the problems and hurdles before us, we miss it sometimes.
This weekend, take a look around. Think about it. Yes, we have some challenges as a church body. Yes, you may be facing some of the biggest challenges of your life on a personal or professional level. But wow, God sure is successful, isn’t he? Things are getting done. People young and old are coming to worship and to hear the wonderful words of gospel truth. Students in our grade school and high school classrooms are learning important truths for life. Students from area Lutheran high schools and our preparatory high schools are considering full time ministry. Young men and women are learning what it means to teach God’s little lambs. Soon, another class of men will graduate from our seminary to shepherd flocks of God’s people. When I think about that, I again say a prayer of humble thanksgiving. Praise God, because he has given us success! He has blessed us greatly.
Tomorrow is another Sunday. It will be our second worship service with friends. I can’t wait to see what success God will bring — in ways I expect, or not!